WE SAY: Fall in vaccination rate risks havoc

Perhaps that is why the Coast's vaccination rates are so low compared with the rest of the nation, why we have the highest percentage of children in the country with "registered conscientious objection" recorded next to their name in immunisation records and why 1419 youngsters living in the region apparently are not fully immunised.

It is a documented fact that immunisation programs throughout Australia in the 20th century greatly lowered the risk of severe illness and death from largely preventable diseases.